Jeremiah 6:24

We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

We have heard {H8085} the fame {H8089} thereof: our hands {H3027} wax feeble {H7503}: anguish {H6869} hath taken hold {H2388} of us, and pain {H2427}, as of a woman in travail {H3205}.

'We have heard the news, and our hands fall limp; anguish has seized us, pain like a mother's in childbirth.'"

We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.

We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

Jeremiah 6:24 vividly portrays the terror and despair gripping the people of Judah as they anticipate an impending invasion. This verse is part of a larger prophecy from the prophet Jeremiah, warning of God's coming judgment on Judah for their unfaithfulness and idolatry.

Context

This verse comes amidst Jeremiah's dire warnings to Jerusalem and Judah about the devastating invasion from the North, specifically referring to the Babylonians. The "fame thereof" speaks to the terrifying reputation and overwhelming power of this approaching enemy, whose military might was well known. The "we" represents the inhabitants of Judah, who are now experiencing the paralyzing fear of a judgment they had largely ignored despite repeated prophetic warnings. This fear is a direct consequence of their spiritual rebellion, as outlined earlier in the book of Jeremiah, particularly in passages like Jeremiah 5:25.

Key Themes

  • Overwhelming Dread: The news of the enemy's approach causes immediate and profound terror, leading to physical weakness ("hands wax feeble"). This signifies a complete loss of courage and ability to resist.
  • Intense Anguish: The phrase "anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain" describes a deep, pervasive emotional and physical suffering. It's a visceral reaction to the inescapable doom.
  • Metaphor of Childbirth: The comparison to "a woman in travail" is a powerful biblical metaphor for intense, unavoidable suffering and distress, often used to describe divine judgment or the birth pains of a new era. It emphasizes the suddenness, severity, and inevitability of the coming pain, much like the sudden and unavoidable destruction that will come upon the ungodly.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "anguish" here is tsarah (צָרָה), which conveys a sense of narrowness, distress, or affliction. It speaks to a situation where there is no escape. The word for "travail" is chil (חִיל), which specifically refers to the intense, writhing pains of childbirth. This imagery is not just about pain, but also about the overwhelming, all-consuming nature of the suffering that leaves one helpless and exhausted, echoing similar descriptions in Isaiah 13:8 regarding the judgment on Babylon.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 6:24 serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences of ignoring God's warnings and persisting in disobedience. While the immediate context is Judah's historical judgment, the verse speaks to universal truths:

  • The reality of divine judgment for unrepentant sin.
  • The paralyzing effect of fear when facing overwhelming threats.
  • The importance of heeding spiritual warnings before distress becomes unavoidable.

It encourages introspection and a response of repentance and seeking God's mercy, rather than waiting until the "pain, as of a woman in travail," has taken hold.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 49:24

    Damascus is waxed feeble, [and] turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on [her]: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.

  • Jeremiah 4:31

    For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

  • Jeremiah 50:43

    The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.

  • Isaiah 28:19

    From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand the report.

  • Jeremiah 30:6

    Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

  • Jeremiah 13:21

    What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them [to be] captains, [and] as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

  • Isaiah 21:3

    Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it]; I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].

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